Katana
by Fangirls at 221B
Summary: The Undertaking destroyed the Glades and the life of Alexandrea Barnes. She lost her home, her family, and for a while her will to live. A college drop out with a crappy apartment and no job, Alex decides it's time to find her purpose in life, and her friend Roy Harper might be able to help. Soon she becomes the Katana and fights side-by-side with the Arrow to save Starling City.
1. Chapter One: Alex

_Hey guys! Grace here. I hope you like this story. Not much happens this chapter but setting the scene a bit. Please leave a review and tell me what you think; constructive criticism is always appreciated. I'll probably update this every Saturday. Enjoy!_

"Come on, Oliver! Can't you just give her a chance?" Roy said, frustrated by his friend's refusal.

"No, Roy," Oliver said firmly, shooting an arrow into the center of a target. "How does this girl know you're Arsenal anyway?"

"Sin told her," He replied. Seeing the look on Oliver's face he added quickly, "Accidentally. She thought she knew."

"I think Ollies right," Felicity said, looking up from her computer. "This work is pretty dangerous, and you said yourself that your friend has no experience."

"But she can learn!" Roy pointed out. "And she's determined, too. I know that with a bit of help Alex can hold her own."

"I said 'no', Roy," Oliver pulled his arrow out of the target. "That's final."

"You don't understand," Roy raised his voice. "If you don't help her train she'll go out by herself! She'll get herself killed!"

Oliver looked at Roy, noting the sincerity on his face.

"You really think she'll go out on her own?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do," Roy responded.

"I'll talk to her," he said. "While masked. There's no reason for her to know my identity."

Alexandria Barnes paced back and forth anxiously in her small apartment. She sighed as she thought about the past year and how she had spent it. _I've wasted so much time,_ she thought.

Suddenly there was a knock at her door. She rushed to look through the peephole and quickly opened the door when she saw her friend Roy.

"Hey," she said. "Come on in."

"Thanks," he said, walking into her ratty apartment.

"So you talked to him, right?" Alex inquired eagerly. "What did he say?"

"He said he'd talk to you," Roy replied. "Didn't say when."

"That's all?" She asked, disappointed.

"Yeah. The Arrow doesn't just let people on the team. You've gotta prove yourself first," Roy looked around and noticed some boxes. "What are those for?" He asked.

"What? The boxes?" Alex asked. "I'm moving soon. I need to find someplace cheaper."

"Cheaper than this?" Roy said, glancing at the bare walls and old furniture. There wasn't much of it, but what little there was was crammed into two rooms, making the already small space unbearably cramped.

"Yeah," Alex said uncomfortably. "This place is more expensive than it looks. My landlord keeps raising the price," she lied.

"Alex, are you doing okay," he asked, looking at the girl who was even younger than him and almost entirely alone. "You didn't lose your job again, did you?"

Alex sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed. "Yeah, I did," she admitted. "But it wasn't my fault this time. I was showing up, they just had to let some people go."

Before Roy could say anything his phone rang. He checked the caller ID. "I have to take this," he said.

"What's up?" Roy asked into the phone. "Yeah, I'm with her right now," he paused for a moment. "Okay, we'll be there."

"That was The Arrow," he said after hanging up. "He wants us to meet him in a few minutes."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Alex asked as she jumped up and started for the door. "I'll bet he doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Minutes later they were standing in a dark alleyway. Alex looked around nervously, watching for The Arrow.

"So, do you know who he really is?" She asked Roy. "The Arrow, I mean."

"Yeah," he replied. "But I can't tell you for obvious reasons."

"I figured you couldn't," she said.

Suddenly a man emerged from the other end of the alley. As he approached Alex saw he was covered in green and had a bow in his hand. It was The Arrow.

"Roy told me you want to work with me," he said in a deep voice. "What makes you think you're capable of that?"

"Well," Alex said, trying to make a convincing argument. "I'm not very experienced, but I'm a fast learner. I'm smart, too. Street smart and book smart. Plus I'm motivated. I've got reasons for wanting to save this city."

"She's one of the smartest people I've ever met," Roy backed her up. "She's brave and loyal. You really won't regret training her."

"Alright," The Arrow said. "Be here this time tomorrow. We'll see what you can do."

With that he shot an arrow above his head and soon vanished into the sky. Alex stood in shock for a moment, surprised that The Arrow had accepted her.

"You put in a pretty good word for me. Thanks," she said gratefully to Roy.

He shrugged. "I just told the truth. Come on, let's go."

 _I've waited too long for this,_ Alex thought as they left the alley. _Now if I could only hold a job things could be looking up._

And with a quick goodbye she and Roy parted, the exciting prospect of Alex's first training session the next day on their minds.


	2. Chapter Two: Memories

_Hey guys! I know I_ said _I'd update weekly but I felt like posting this chapter sooner. I might be a little short, I hope you guys don't mind_! _I forgot to mention a few things about the story. It starts around the beginning of season three with a few changes. The most notable change is that Sara never came to Starling and is still presumed dead. Enjoy!_

Alex woke up the next morning thinking of nothing but The Arrow and the opportunity he had given her. She glanced at her clock and saw that it was only 6:30. Knowing that at this point she would not be able to get to sleep again she decided to make this a productive morning by packing and getting ready to move.

As she was packing up some boxes a thought struck her. She grabbed her phone and dialed Roy's number.

"Hey, Alex," he said. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could do me another favor," she said.

"Sure," he replied."What do you need?"

"I remember you mentioning awhile back that your girlfriend owns the club where you work," Alex started. "I was wondering if you could see if she'd be willing to interview me."

"Uh, yeah, I could ask her," Roy said a bit awkwardly.

"What's the matter?" Alex asked. "Did you break up or something?"

"No- I mean yes," Roy replied. "But that's not the problem."

"Then what is?" she asked, confused by his hesitation.

"Well," he started, unsure what to say, "the problem is she's Thea Queen."

"So?" Alex asked. She knew who Thea Queen was, of course. The Queens had been all over the news for the past two years. Suddenly she understood what Roy was thinking. "Oh. I'm not like that, Roy. I'd never blame her for that. You should know that."

"Okay," he said. "I'll give her a call and she if she has any jobs open. Oh, and Alex?"

"Yeah?" She asked, a cold quality to her voice.

"If you have trouble finding a place," he hesitated, "well, you can always crash at my place if you need to."

"Thanks," she said evenly. "But I'm fine."

 _How could he think that about me?_ Alex thought angrily as she hung up. _I thought he knew me better than that. And now he's got me thinking about it..._

She looked around her room, fighting back tears. Despite her best efforts her eyes were soon brimming with water. Memories were coming back to her. Good and bad and unspeakably terrible. She was about to lose herself in grief, just as she had so many times before.

 _No,_ she thought firmly. _I won't let myself do this again. Not today. I can't._

Taking a deep breath she decided to go for a walk to clear her head. As she was leaving the apartment building her phone rang. It was Roy. She ignored it and started down the street.

Ten minutes later Alex was in a section of the Glades that hadn't been restored after the Undertaking. It used to be filled with houses; now it was filled with rubble. She hadn't intended to go here but her feet tended to carry her to this area. To this pile of bricks and boards.

She climbed up the rubble and just sat there. She didn't cry, she never cried while she was there. Most of the time she would bring a flask with just enough liquor to numb the pain. Never any more.

Soon Roy appeared heading towards her. She thought about walking away but she didn't feel like moving. He came up and sat next to her. They both let a minute pass in silence.

"I'm sorry," Roy finally said. "I didn't mean to bring back memories."

"No," Alex accused with a voice as cold as steel. "What you meant was that I would blame someone for something that clearly wasn't her fault. What you meant was that I'd blame Thea Queen for things she had no part in."

"I know," Roy said, "that under most circumstances you wouldn't. I just thought this time might be an exception."

"I don't make exceptions when it comes to my principles," she replied, her voice still steely. "You should know that by now."

"I know," Roy said. "And I will never forget that again."

Alex sighed. She thought of all the times she had come here. At first the visits had been daily. She'd find her way here, sick with grief, and Roy would always find her. He'd sit with her in silence until she left. Once he had brought a case of beer and the tradition of bringing alcohol started.

"You got your flask today?" He asked, either reading her thoughts or trying to make conversation.

"It's a bit early for that," she answered, the coldness gone.

"You never had all that much, anyway," Roy said. "Why is that?"

"I couldn't let myself become a drunk," Alex replied. "Especially here. It wouldn't have been right. I can practically hear them saying 'don't waste your potential, don't throw your life away,' Well, I think I did one of those things when I dropped out of school. I wasn't going to do the other to get rid of their memory."

"You've got plenty of potential left, Al," Roy reminded her. "What about working with the Arrow?"

"That's not exactly what my parents had in mind for my career," Alex almost laughed. "I bet Joey would have thought it was amazing, though."

"Yeah," Roy said."He would've looked up to you even more. If that's even possible."

Alex sighed, "He was a good kid. God, that was makes it sound so wrong."

"He was," Roy agreed, "one of the best kids I've known. He always saw the bright side."

Alex murmured her agreement and they lapsed into a silence that was comfortable between them, but also painful. Rich with memories that Alex knew would never fade. And, good or bad, she didn't want them to. After all, they were all that she had left of her family.

 _Thanks to Princessalexandrea0201 for being my first follower and to WinterRain36 for being my first reviewer. They said:_

 _Is Alex going to become Roy's girlfriend? Will Thea join the team also? Please share! :)_

 _I can't give you all the details but I will say that there is definitely some romantic interest between them. As for Thea, as you can see from this chapter she's going to be making some appearances for sure. But I won't say exactly how important she'll become._


	3. Chapter Three: Training

_Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it!_

Later that evening Alex was waiting in the alley she had met the Arrow in the night before. She nervous redid the ponytail that she had pulled her auburn hair into.

"Hey," a voice said suddenly.

Alex jumped and spun around, reaching for her pocketknife.

"Whoa!" Roy exclaimed. "It's just me, Al."

"Sorry," she apologized, relaxing. "I guess I'm a little jumpy."

"Then I guess I should tell you," Roy said, "he'll probably have to knock you out."

"What?!" Alex asked. "Why?"

"I don't think he'll want you to know the location of the base yet and that's the best way to get you there without you knowing," he explained.

"Okay," she said. "That makes sense."

Just then the Arrow appeared. He came from the shadows of the other end of the alley like he had the night before. As he drew closer Alex noticed he had a small object in his hand. It was a syringe.

"Looks like you were right," she muttered to Roy.

Then the Arrow was in front of them.

"You ready," he asked Alex.

"Yeah," she said. _As I'll ever be,_ she thought.

"Good," he lifted the syringe. "Sorry about this."

He stuck it in her arm and everything went black.

Alex woke up in what looked like some kind of bunker. She was laying on a metal table and her vision was a bit blurry. Suddenly Roy's head appeared in her line of vision.

"Hey," he said. "How're you feeling?"

"Alright," she replied, sitting up and taking in her surroundings.

She saw some computers nearby on another metal table. Along the walls were weapons shelves of what looked like medical supplies. There were also three glass cases with metal mannequins inside them. Two were empty. The third held a red costume similar to the one that the Arrow, who was standing near some of the weapons, wore.

Alex stood up. "So," she said, "where do we start?"

"With this," the Arrow answered, tossing her a bow. She caught it and walked over to where some targets were set up.

"Watch," he instructed, pulling an arrow from his quiver and loading his bow. He changed his stance slightly and Alex noted everything from how he held the bow to the distance between his feet. He released the arrow and it hit the target dead center.

"Your turn," he said, pulling his arrow from the target and handing her one.

"Okay," she muttered quietly, taking her position. She loaded her bow.

"Like this?" She _asked._

"Your feet should be farther apart, first of all," the Arrow replied. Alex moved accordingly.

"And you're not holding the bow right," Roy commented. "Your left hand should be here," he grabbed her hand and adjusted it. "And relax, you've got this."

Roy backed away and Alex let some of the tension from her body. She bit her lower lip in concentration and released the arrow. It hit the wall a few feet away from the target.

"Yeah," she said, cringing," I've definitely got this."

"Do it again," the Arrow ordered. "This time don't think so much. Just let the bow do the work."

"Okay," Alex said, loading her bow again.

An hour later she was still shooting at the target. Some of the arrows hit the outer rings but some still hit the wall. Roy and the Arrow were giving pointers and occasionally encouragement to no avail. The bow just didn't feel right to Alex.

"Can't I try something else?" She asked impatiently after another arrow hit the wall. "I'm not feeling this."

"Like what?" The Arrow asked her.

Alex surveyed the room. "What about those?" She pointed to some swords.

"Fine," the Arrow said. "But you don't get to practice with them." He tossed her a couple of long wooden sticks.

"Fair enough," Alex replied, walking over to stand in front of him. "So, how do we do this?"

The Arrow gave her instructions on form and technique and they started to spar. He quickly overtook her and they started again. After each match he would give her pointers and soon it took longer for him to beat her.

"Do you want to go back to archery?" The Arrow asked eventually.

"No, I like this," Alex replied. "Let's keep going."

They practiced for hours before Alex finally went home. She was sweaty and tired but she knew she had found something that night. Perhaps even her calling. All she knew was that when she was fighting she lost herself in concentration and felt more in control than she ever had before. That was all she felt she needed.

 _Thanks to The Lion of Darkness and MissPrettysMommy for following and favoriting. And thanks to princessalexandrea0201 for reviewing. She said:_

 _She needs to become close to Ollie it would be so CUTE! Like Siblings!_

 _I agree! We'll definitely see a progression in their relationship as time goes on._


	4. Chapter Four: Verdant

_Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. Just a reminder, I appreciate all reviews, even constructive criticism. Enjoy!_

The next morning Alex woke up tired and sore. She almost went back to sleep but then she saw the time on her clock. It read 9:02. Roy had told her last night that Thea would meet her at 9:30 that morning. Alex cursed under her breath as she climbed out of bed and realized she didn't have enough time to eat breakfast, much less take a shower. Well, she thought, rummaging through her dresser for a nice shirt, there isn't much I can do about it now.

A minute later her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and picked it up when she saw that Roy was calling.

"What?" She put him on speaker and pulled one of her socks on.

"Are you on your way?" Roy asked over the phone.

"I'm almost ready to head out the door," Alex replied, yanking the other sock on and reaching for her shoes.

"Almost? You should be halfway there by now," Roy said.

"I know," she stood up and open her door. "I'm leaving my apartment right now. I should be able to make it in time."

"Well, hurry. Thea will probably give you the job but you should try to make a good first impression anyway."

"I know! I'm hurrying. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. I can't run and talk; see you later."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye," Alex hung up and took off running down the apartment building's stairs.

Later, Alex arrived at Verdant and pulled out her phone to check the time. 9:32. Oh well, she sighed and walked in. The club was in an industrial looking building; an old factory, Alex remembered. The furniture was mostly white and had a modern and almost futuristic feel. Alex could tell where colored lights would come on at night even though this was only her third or fourth time being inside a club. She didn't like them. She liked the silence and isolation of the world at night when she wandered around the dark streets, not the noise and crowds of the clubs she always passed by quickly. But she knew that she had to get over her dislike to make a living.

Her dislike of two things, she realized as she saw Roy sitting at the bar with Thea Queen and a stab of hurt and anger entered her heart. She didn't want to hate Thea, and in her head she didn't blame her, either. Still, she knew that what Moira Queen had done was because of her children, therefore because of Thea. But she didn't kill them. She didn't make the choice. It wasn't her fault, Alex thought firmly as she walked to the bar. But she still couldn't help but dislike Thea and she swore to never let that dislike show.

"There she is," Roy said when he noticed Alex.

"You must be Alexandrea," Thea said, "nice of you to join us."

"Sorry I'm a little late," Alex apologized, which wasn't an easy thing for her to do, and shook Thea's hand. "My alarm didn't go off."

"Well you better get a better alarm then," Thea remarked as they sat down. "So, Alex, what kind of job are you looking for exactly?"

Half an hour later after Alex had tried her best to get along with Thea and Roy had backed her up constantly it had paid off. She had a job. She hadn't been very picky about her position and wound up being a server.

"Well, it's all settled then," Thea said and they all stood up to leave when a man suddenly entered the room.

Alex recognized him instantly as Oliver Queen; after all, she had seen him on TV a million times it seemed. But for some reason she had a deeper sense of familiarity when she saw him. Alex just brushed it off as nothing when she couldn't figure out why she might feel that way.

Oliver approached them and greeted his sister. "Who's this," he asked, giving Alex a stranger look than she thought was necessary.

"Alexandrea," Thea answered, "my newest server."

"Nice to meet you," Oliver said, then turned to Roy. "I need to talk to you for a minute. Over there."

"Okay. I'll catch up with you later, Al," Roy said before he and Oliver disappeared around a corner.

"How does tomorrow at one sound for your training?" Thea asked Alex. "Then you could start that night."

"That sounds great," Alex replied, trying to sound like that statement was true. "Thank you. I should be going."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then," Thea said and Alex left quickly, unsure when Roy would get back and not wanting to wait for him.

Once outside she took a breath of the fresh, or at least fresher, air. Alex wasn't sure how she would manage to work there among a big crowd with so much noise. She decided to go home and catch up on sleep before spending what she felt like was her last night of freedom outside and away from Verdant, which she feared would begin to feel like a prison.

At least I have a job, she thought. I bet Thea wouldn't fire me unless I really screw up because I'm friends with Roy, and I'm not planning on screwing up, not this time. I got lucky to have a friend who could get me a job, and if I'm turning over a new leaf this could be one of the places to start.

As she walked down the street she decided she should call Roy later to thank him for talking to Thea, and to ask him when she could train with the Arrow again, that was another place she knew she should start if she wanted to change. A bigger and more important place, for that matter.

 _Thanks to Bachmeise, Prydain, rlapham, and Neverland-Emerald-Wolf for following and to Psycho17, 15ls, and ShelBell25 for favoriting. And thanks to PrincessAlexandra0201 and ClokedWarrior337 for reviewing. PrincessAlexandra0201 said:_

 _I get it now Katana like the the sword! Snazzy! I think it will be cool to see her meet some of the other characters e.g Felicity. Also has he already made her a suit!?_

 _P.S. It's PrincessAlexandra0201 you keep putting in a e between the r and the a._

 _I'm eager to have her meet other characters, too, especially Felicity! They'll design a suit for her a bit later. And sorry about the name thing, I'm not sure why I was spelling it differently but I'll spell it right from now on!_

 _And ClokedWarrior337 said:_

 _This is interesting, will Felicity and Alex become good friends?_

 _Probably! I think they'll get along well._

 _Another huge thank you to all of you. I never thought I'd get this much feedback this fast!_


	5. Chapter Five: Graves

_Hey guys! Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile. I've had some big family things recently and I haven't had much time or motivation for writing, but I'm back now! I'll be able to update more often. Enjoy the chapter!_

A month later Alex had settled into a daily routine. She worked six nights a week at Verdant, Saturday was her day off, and trained during the day every day. Alex would wake up each morning and have breakfast before going to train with the Arrow. She still didn't know who he was, but she had learned that there were more people who worked with him, although she had never met them or even heard their names. After training Alex would have lunch and sleep until she had to get up to get ready for work. She'd shower and have dinner and then after working she would eat a snack and go to sleep. During the day she also had some time to go on walks or hang out with Roy, Sin, or sometimes even Thea, who she had started to get along with.

Today was a Saturday and Alex had already met up with the Arrow and Roy to train. She was reflecting on her schedule as she walked down a street. It was different than most yet it still felt mundane despite all her strange habits. Alex sighed and thought about calling Roy to ask when she could go out and get into a real fight. She decided to do it later. She was on her was to the cemetery just like every Saturday since her family had been buried. Or since what was left of them had been buried.

There was a section of the cemetery that was devoted to the five-hundred and three lives that the Undertaking had claimed. There weren't many people in this part of the cemetery that day. Alex headed directly for two tombstones: a large one that marked the graves of her parents, and a smaller one where her brother was buried.

"Hey, Joey," she said, sitting on the ground near the graves. "The Arrow finally let me start working with real swords this week. I'm using katanas. You'd think they're awesome, and they really are. They're long and heavy but have great control when you know how to handle them. This wasn't what I was expecting to be doing, you know? I used to think I'd be spending the next few years just studying and now I'm getting ready to become a vigilante. It's weird but it feels right somehow," she sighed and stared at the dates on his grave for a moment. They were only sixteen years apart. "I remember you never knew what you wanted to be. You were worried about that. I had know for my whole life what I'd be and you didn't have a clue. But look at me, the vigilante to be. Well, you'd be proud, but would they?"

Alex turned to look at her parents' graves. The question had been genuine but no one was there to answer. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry that I'm not what you wanted me to be. I wanted it, too, you know. I think sometimes you thought that I was just doing it all for you, but I did it for me, too. And now you're gone and I want this and there's no one else to do anything for but myself. I don't have the money anymore, anyway. My grief took all my money."

Alex stood up quickly, not wanting to continue talking about that part of the past. It hurt for her biggest dream to have crashed and burned like it had. Still, she had found a point for her life, and she hoped that that would have been enough for her parents. She hurried from the cemetery and headed for Roy's house, eager to take her mind off of the past.

Alex knocked on Roy's door and a moment later he opened it.

"Hey," he said, letting her inside, "what's up?"

"Hey," she replied, then decided to get right to the point, "I was wondering if the Arrow may have said anything about me being able to get out in the field."

"He doesn't think you're ready," Roy answered, "I've brought it up a couple of times because I know you want to get out but I'm not entirely sure you're ready, either."

"What? I thought you had faith in me," Alex wasn't quite offended, just a bit surprised that Roy didn't seem to believe in her as much as she thought, "you said I'm one of the best fighters you've seen."

"I know, and you are," Roy replied quickly. "I just don't want you to get out until you're really ready. You've only been training for a month, and I could never forgive myself if something happened to you."

"Don't go all protective on me, Harper," Alex said. "You know I can take care of myself."

"I know. But it's my fault you're a part of this. So it's my fault if you get hurt."

"No, it's not. I want this. You weren't even the person who told me you're the Red Hood, or whatever they call you."

"They call me Arsenal. And I get that but I still feel responsible. And you really do need more training."

"Fine. But I'm starting to feel like I'm not wanted. I don't know who the Arrow is and I've never met the other people who work with you. So can you do one thing for me?"

"What?"

"I want you to convince the Arrow to let me know who he is. Otherwise I can't be sure I'm welcome."

"I can try, but it won't be easy. And we do need you. We lost a fighter pretty recently and we could use another."

"Then the Arrow should be willing to let me know who he is to keep me on the team."

 _Thanks to 06bromleys and Shaybo27_

 _for following and to Highlander348 for reviewing. They said:_

 _When is Alex going to figure out Oliver Queen is the Arrow? She is pretty smart after all! :)_

 _It won't be too long now!_


	6. Chapter Six: The Arrow

_Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!_

The next day Alex went to meet Roy and the Arrow. As usual, she was knocked out and woke up on a cold metal table. But this time she heard Roy talking to the Arrow.

"She's impatient," Roy said, "and she doesn't think you trust her. I'm not saying let her fight, but at least give her some assurance that she's needed."

"Why should I trust her?" The Arrow countered. "She's never given me any reason to."

"She's never give you any reason not to," Roy argued, "and she's given me every reason to. I'd trust her with my life, with Thea's life, even."

"Would you?" The Arrow asked. Alex didn't like how much weight Roy's declaration seemed to have carried. She brushed off the feeling and continued listening.

"Yeah," he said. "And since Sam left we've needed another fighter, anyway."

"Who's Sam?" Alex asked, finally getting up from the table.

"An old friend," the Arrow replied.

"How much of that did you hear?" Roy asked.

"Just that last thing you said," Alex lied.

Suddenly, there was a noise behind her. It sounded like someone coming down stairs and then a voice called out, "Ollie! Are you down here?" It was female, and familiar.

The Arrow cursed quietly and ran towards the sound, but he was too late. Thea appeared in the room. Alex grabbed one of the tables to steady herself. She wondered why Thea would know about this place.

What was that she called him? Alex thought. Ollie... Oliver!... Oliver Queen. Alex looked at the Arrow and it all made sense. She understood why Oliver had seemed familiar when she meet him in Verdant. And with all that had happened with the Queen family, Oliver being the Arrow wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

"Alex?" Thea said, noticing her. "What are you doing here?"

"You're Oliver Queen," Alex ignored Thea's question and looked at the Arrow, "aren't you?"

He hesitated for a moment, then pulled off his hood, confirming Alex's suspicion.

"What's going on?" Thea asked. "What is Alexandrea doing here?"

"I've been training her," the Arrow, Oliver, said.

"She's working with you?" Thea asked. Evidently she had already known her brother's secret.

"Not yet, but I'm planning on it," Alex said, glancing at her now unmasked mentor,

"eventually."

"He's teaching you how to use a bow, right?" Thea asked, walking farther into the room.

"He wanted to," Alex laughed, "but I insisted upon swords."

"Swords, huh?" Thea said, selecting one off of a rack. "You know, I'm better with a sword than Ollie."

"I wouldn't say that," Oliver said, accepting her implied challenge by choosing a sword himself.

"Let's see then," Thea said, thrusting her sword towards her brother. He blocked her strike and the fight started.

Alex stood next to Roy and watched, transfigured, as they began what looked like, to her, a dance of sorts. They went around the room, thrusting, blocking, and dodging. Both were giving their all, never mind that the person at the other end of their sword was their sibling. Eventually, Thea gained the upper hand. She had Oliver up against a wall, he was disarmed, and she had her sword to his throat.

"Maybe I should be the one training you," Thea said, releasing her brother.

"You know," he said, "that's not such a bad idea."

Before anyone could respond, Oliver's phone rang. "What's up?" He asked, then waited a moment. "We'll be right there, you should get over here."

"Where is here, exactly?" Alex asked, as Roy went over to the glass case containing his suit. "I assume you can tell me now."

"Verdant," the Arrow replied, and a moment later he and Arsenal were gone.

Alex laughed. "Verdant, huh?" She looked over at Thea who, without a word, tossed her a sword, and their battle began.

Minutes later, Alex was tending to a small cut on her arm–she had learned already that Thea's methods were more intense than Oliver's–when a blonde woman entered the bunker. She was walking quickly and looking down at her phone.

"Hey, Felicity," Thea said, making the woman look up and notice her and Alex.

"Oh, hi, Thea," she looked at Alex. "You're Alexandrea right?"

"Yeah," she replied, reaching for a bandage.

"What happened to your arm?" Felicity asked, sitting down at a computer and typing something in quickly.

"Her," Alex answered, jerking her head towards Thea.

"Where'd you send my brother?" Thea asked, looking over Felicity's should at the computer.

"A bank," Felicity replied, then she pushed a button on her keyboard and said, "You there, Oliver?"

"I'm here," The Arrow's voice came through the computer. "Do you have a visual?"

"Yup," Felicity said, pulling up another window on her screen, "I hacked into the bank's security system, I've got eyes and ears. Looks like they've got nine hostages."

So this was the tech girl Roy had told Alex about. She could already tell Felicity was talented, and she had a feeling they'd get along.

 _Thanks so much to track98, Shiranai Atsune, highlander348, LoverGirl007, Arianna Le Fay, and Ronnie22211 for following! Another thanks to Arianna Le Fay for favoriting as well._

 _And thanks to WinterRain36 and Highlander348 for reviewing. WinterRain36 said:_

 _Can she block bullets and arrows with her katanas? Please? That would be so awesome if she could!_

 _I hadn't thought of that, but it's a great idea! I'll probably use it._

 _And Highlander348 said:_

 _Cool! Though I had hoped Alex would had figured it out herself! Like she just shows up in the Arrow cave and surprises Oliver. Lol_

 _As for Alex's suit I think a sexy domino mask would be nice. I don't think she needs a wig as that is just to tacky in my opinion. Cheers!_

 _That would be cool, but, as you can see, I already had it written another way. (Although I guess she still kind of figured it out)_

 _I totally agree with your thoughts on the costume. A wig is just unnecessary I think._


	7. Chapter Seven: Team Arrow

_Hey guys! Here's another chapter, I hope you like it!_

Not long after Felicity arrived the bank robbery was resolved. Oliver and Roy returned just as Alex and Thea finished training.

"What happened to your arm?" Roy asked, looking at Alex with concern.

"Turns out Thea's training methods are a bit more intense than Oliver's," Alex replied, placing her katanas on their rack. She hesitated a moment before speaking again. "So, any chance I might be able to get out in the field soon?" She tried to sound nonchalant but really she couldn't wait to finally get into a real fight.

"Is that a good idea?" Roy cut in. "You've only been at this for about a month."

Alex glared at him for a moment, her message clear; I wasn't asking you.

"Roy has a point," the Arrow said. "But, you have been learning quickly. What do you think, Thea?"

"She's a natural. But that doesn't change the fact that she needs more training," she replied. "Maybe she could go out for something small, or something so big that you need all the help you can get."

Well, that was sort of positive, at least, Alex thought.

"I actually have been considering letting you get out soon." The Arrow's words surprised Alex. "It might not be for awhile, but I think you should start getting used to fighting in a suit."

Oliver looked at Felicity, and, as if on cue, pressed a few button on her keyboard, making an image appear on the screen.

Alex moved closer to the computer to get a better look. The picture was of a suit. It was pretty standard for a superhero look. Simply and tight looking, the suit was a deep purple, almost black. It was accompanied by a mask of the same shade that would cover the area around Alex's eyes. There was also a belt that held the sheaths for two swords and one small dagger. All in all, the ensemble seemed to meet Alex's needs exactly.

"It's perfect," she breathed. "It's even my favorite color."

"You have Roy to thank for that," Oliver said. "You'll need to learn how to use a dagger, of course, but I thought it might be good to have a back up."

"I know my way around a pocket knife, it can't be that different." Alex pulled the familiar object out of her pocket. She popped up the blade and looked at it for a moment. "In fact, I think I might forgo the dagger altogether."

Oliver nodded his assent and Felicity soon made the dagger disappear from the image. She continued modifying the suit for a moment, then said;

"There. I've added a pocket for your pocket knife."

Alex looked at the computer once again. Now, the suit really was perfect.

"So, I guess you're a full-fledged member of Team Arrow now," Felicity said, spinning around in her chair to face Alex.

"We don't actually call it that," the Arrow said.

"I do," Felicity countered, looking up at him.

"She hasn't even met the entire team yet," Roy pointed out.

"Who haven't I met?" Alex asked, searching her memory for other people who worked with Roy and Oliver, she could only recall the mention of one other man.

"John Diggle," Oliver said. "You'll meet him soon; right now he's busy with his newborn daughter."

Alex realized that the idea of a member of this team having a child seemed strange. To her, they looked like outcasts. There was Oliver Queen, who had been stranded on an Island for five years before coming home just to have his mother murdered and, very recently, his fortune lost. Thea Queen, his equally messed up sister who had a history with drugs and media scandals. Roy Harper was from the glades, and never had much of a family besides Alex's own, which had been ripped to shreds. And Felicity Smoak, well, Alex supposed she seemed normal enough. Still, any of these people having a daughter seemed bizarre.

Thea glanced at her phone. "I need to get back to the club," she said.

Quick 'bye's were exchanged and Thea disappeared up the stairs.

"I should get going, too," Alex said. She had no particular place she wanted to go, but today felt like a day to spend outside in the sun, not cooped up in a basement. It had been a long time since she had wanted to be out in the daylight, Alex realized.

After saying goodbye to the others, Alex went up the stairs to Verdant. It was strange to think that the club was located above her, yet that was where she found herself when she emerged from the basement.

As she was about to leave the club, Alex heard the pounding of footsteps behind her. She turned to see Roy behind her.

"Wait up!" He called. He caught up with her and spoke again. "Where are you going, anyway?"

"Out for a walk," Alex answered.

"Where to?" He asked.

"I dunno." She shrugged. "Nowhere, anywhere, doesn't matter. I just walk sometimes, you know that."

"Yeah, but I'm just surprised you're doing it now," Roy said.

"Why? Because you think I hate the very concept of sunlight?" She smiled. It was a small smile, but it was the best one to appear on her face in a long time.

Roy must have noticed it, too.

"What's gotten into you?" He asked. "You seem so-"

"Happy?" Alex finished for him.

"Well, yeah," Roy admitted.

"You know," Alex started, choosing her words carefully, "it's been a year. I still miss them, that will never change. But it hurts less." She gave a small shrug. "I mean, I have a job. A job I hate, but one that lets me pay my rent and eat. I'm even looking at a better apartment. And I've found a purpose again. So, why shouldn't I be happy? It's what they'd want."

"You're right," Roy agreed. "They'd be proud."

As they lapsed into a comfortable silence and walked down the street together, Alex realized that there was only one thing that she had to do to feel complete happiness again. One thing that could make her truly move on, as much as was suitable and possible, from the tragic event that stole her life. But, as she glanced at Roy walking beside her, she decided that it wasn't worth the risk. Not when she was so sure of how he felt.

 _Thanks to longstreet and sugabee14 for following! And thanks to highlander348, longstreet, and sugabee14 for favoriting! Another thanks to highlander348 for reviewing. They said:_

 _No worries! I liked how she found out. Plus it's cool Alex knows Oliver's secret now._

 _Nyssa could block arrows and bullets with her swords. So could Slade and Malcolm. Thea could probably to since she was trained by her father in martial arts._

 _Here is a great suggestion for a training scene if you like it! Thea could shoot arrows at Alex who can block them with her Katanas! Later on Thea could use a gun and Alex can deflect the bullets fired at her. How awesome would that be! Please consider it and update soon! I love this story! :)_

 _Wonderful idea for a training scene! I'll fit something like that in. And thanks for saying that you love the story. It means so much to hear that people really enjoy my writing._

 _Now, I need the help of all of you. Pretty soon we'll be seeing more action stuff. So I was hoping I could get suggestions for villains to use. They can be ones that appeared in the show, ones from other parts of the DC Universe, or even ones you made yourself! I'd appreciate all suggestions so don't be afraid to send one in. And of course, I'll give full credit wherever it's due. Thanks!_


	8. Chapter Eight: Katana

_Hey guys! Here's the next chap. I hope you like it!_

Two months later Alex had realized that her definition of 'soon' was different than Oliver's. But she had also realized that there was much more to learn than just sword fighting one-on-one. Oliver had pointed out that she would be fighting people with guns, and so she was learning to defend herself against them.

Alex had also been introduced to John Diggle, and was currently disarming him.

She went in from behind with just her pocket knife. Of course, John knew what was coming and he spun around quickly. Alex, anticipating the move, attacked his hands. Her goal was to quickly get his finger off of the trigger. Succeeding in that, after a minor scuffle, she had the gun to his head and the knife to his chest.

"Good job," John said.

"Thanks," Alex replied, unsheathing her katanas and spinning around, just as Thea fired an arrow at her. She swung her sword and cut the arrow in half in midair. That was something else she had been working on.

"Not bad," Thea commented.

Then, Thea pulled out a gun and fired two shots at Alex. Alex was quick the react and she sent both bullets flying into walls. One whizzed past Roy, who was replacing his bowstring, and the other barely missed Felicity and her computers. Alex was getting good at aim.

Felicity jumped. "Do you have to do that every time?" She asked.

Roy laughed. "You are getting kind of predictable, Al."

"Predictable, but accurate," Alex pointed out.

"We should set up targets next time," Thea said, "to see just how accurate you are."

"Just don't set them up near my head," Felicity said.

Alex laughed. "No promises."

Later that week, Alex had just finished training and was walking home when Roy caught up to her in the street.

"Hey," he said, falling into stride with Alex.

"Hey," she replied. "What's up?"

"You've been getting pretty busy lately, and we haven't hung out in a while," Roy explained. "I was hoping we could grab something to eat, or something."

"Sure," Alex said gratefully, it had been a bit since they'd spent time together. "I could go for some Big Belly Burger right now."

"Ok. Let's go there," Roy agreed.

They soon arrived at the restaurant and went to the counter to order. They each got a burger, fries, and a shake. Alex got vanilla and Roy got chocolate.

"And can we get those to go?" Roy added at the end of their order.

"Sure," the girl at the counter responded.

They paid and moved over to the line to wait for their food.

"To go?" Alex looked at Roy.

"I wanted to go somewhere a bit more private." Alex's heart skipped a beat. Where is this going? She wondered. "I want to talk about, you know..."

"Oh, yeah." Alex realized he meant the vigilante stuff. Was that all this was about? She was a bit disappointed.

"So, where should we go to talk?" Alex asked once they had got their food and left the restaurant.

"My place isn't far. We could go there," Roy offered.

When they arrived at Roy's house, Alex decided to get straight to the point.

"What exactly did you want to talk about?" She asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were sure about this Katana thing." Katana was the name they had chosen for Alex's vigilante persona.

Alex sighed and sat down. "Really, Roy? Have I seemed at all unsure? Or are you the one who's not sure about me doing this?"

Roy took a seat next to her and considered her words for a moment. "I just don't want you to–"

"Get hurt?" Alex offered. "Because I'm perfectly capable, you know that. I know I've always relied on you a bit, for support and for help with my family, but that doesn't mean you can decide what's best for me. It doesn't mean you can act like this protective brother or whatever. And I'm getting sick of you thinking it does."

"I didn't mean it like that. Maybe I get a bit protective at times. But I just," he hesitated a moment, "well, I care about you. I care about you too much to let you rush into something so dangerous without making sure you're positive that this is what you want."

Alex let a minute go by without saying anything. She considered his words carefully. Of course she knew why he acted like he did, but was it a good enough excuse? She decided that it was, if he could just learn to acknowledge that Alex could take care of herself.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life," she replied.

"Really?" Roy asked.

Of course, there was one thing that she had been completely sure of until the Undertaking. But that was in the past, and now she was more determined to do what was right than ever.

"Yes," Alex answered. "Really."

They started eating in silence. Finally, Roy broke it.

"I don't think you're not capable, by the way," he said. "I just– well it's hard to explain."

"I know." Alex sighed. "I don't like the general idea of you running into danger, either. But I deal with it, because I know that you're doing what you have to do. You're the only family I have left, but I have to let you do what you know is right, however dangerous. I wish you felt the same about all this."

"I do. But I had to be sure."

"Well, are you sure yet?"

"Yeah." He looked at her. "Complete sure. More sure than I've ever been about anything before."

There was something in his manner; his gaze, his voice, his words, that made Alex wonder if they were talking about the same thing. But the alternative seemed too good to be true.

"Sure about what exactly?" She asked slowly.

"About this," Roy said. A moment later his lips were on hers. Alex couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Never did she imagine this moment would actually come. Didn't Roy think of her as a sister? But obviously not, if this was real.

It seemed to end the second it started. Before either of them could say a word, Roy's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID.

"It's Felicity," he said. "I should-"

"Yeah, of course," Alex interrupted.

And soon Roy was on his way to Verdant after mumbling something about a bank robbery. Alex was left alone, still in shock.

Soon, the shock wore off. Alex realized the full extent of what had just happened. But now, part of her wishes it hadn't. Her biggest fear was that Roy would change his mind, and she would lose him forever.

 _Thanks to RachelRose523 and Twyla5200 for following. And thanks to Princessalexandra0201, Highlander348, and WinterRain36 for reviewing._

 _Princessalexandra0201 said:_

 _You could do Slade's Daughter. She could be called Blade! I think a character like that would be cool. For a villain and possibly team member._

 _Loving the story, I think walking in on training would of been a more Felicity thing but hey I like it anyway. I think she needs to meet the Flash or is he not involved right now cause I think and team up would be cool. Keep writing I love seeing the email telling me Katana has been updated._

 _Great villain idea! Thanks so much! There will definitely be Flash crossover. In fact, my friend who runs this account with me is writing a Flash Fanfic called The Dagger and there will be crossover with that. You can find it on this account if you're interested._

 _And that last sentence made my day. Thanks so much._

 _Highlander348 said:_

 _Can't wait to see the training scene! And her costume is so cool! I like the colors! Daring but subtle in a way. When Alex hits the field, can she and Thea team up to stop up some bad guys? Like bank robbers? Please? Speedy and Katana together taking names and kicking a**! :)_

 _Alex needs to take a chance and ask Roy out on a date and then go from there. I am sure they will have a good time! Have a happy weekend! Cheers!_

 _Thanks! I'm definitely planning on some awesome Speedy and Katana team ups later on._

 _And look! Something happened between them. Not exactly a date but I hope you like it anyway. :)_

 _And WinterRain36 said:_

 _Is Thea is a vigilante to?_

 _As for villains Huntress maybe?_

 _I plan on making her one in the future._

 _Good suggestion! I'll definitely consider it._

 _Thanks to everyone for the kind reviews and especially for the villain suggestions! And I urge you all the check out the story I mentioned in my response to Princessalexandra0201. My friend has been doing a great job with it!_


	9. Chapter Nine: Samantha

_Hey guys! I am so so sorry about the wait. I've had a lot going on the past couple weeks. But here's a new chapter! This one is actually a crossover chapter with a story my friend is writing. Her story is called The Dagger and is also on this account. It's a The Flash fanfic, read it if you're interested. But it's not necessary to read it to read my story. Anyway, enjoy!_

The next day, Alex was practicing some sword fighting techniques alone. She and Roy hadn't really spoken since the kiss, and she was focusing hard to keep her mind off of him. Suddenly, she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

She spun around, swords raised. "Oh, hey, Oliver," she said, relaxing when she saw him. Then she noticed a red haired girl with him. "Who's this?"

"This is Sam." The girl replied with a grin "Or Samantha. You must be Alex, Ol has told me like, one thing about you."

Alex laughed. "He's told me like nothing about you."

"Probably because I left Starling city and told him that I was starting over in Central City and to try not to have anything to do with me." Sam replied casually.

"Oh, well that explains it," Alex replied, trying to sound as casual as Sam.

"Oliver, talk about me more. Seriously." Sam scolded.

"If you insist," Oliver said. "Sam used to work with me. She went by the name The Dagger."

"The Dagger?" Alex turned to her. "I've heard of you. You're operating in Central now, right? You disappeared after," she hesitated, as she always did before speaking of this event, "after the Undertaking."

"Yeah, I work in Central now. It was fun hearing all the different rumors and theories about how I died."

Alex laughed. "Yeah, there were a lot of those."

"I once heard someone say they found her body." Sam replied "Lets just say she didn't make it out of the building."

Alex couldn't quite tell if she was joking or not.

"Sam," Oliver whispered in a demanding tone "What have I told you about making jokes like that to people you just met?"

"Um...nothing?" Samantha replied innocently.

Alex smiled. "So it was a joke."

"Yeah, pretty much the only thing she's one hundred percent serious about is coffee." Oliver said.

"I've been living off coffee since I was ten." Alex laughed, glad to find a mutual interest, however small.

Sam looked around awkwardly "Eight."

Alex laughed again. "I think we'll get along," she said.

"As long as you like coffee, I'm good." I replied "If you don't I'll have to set you on fire." She laughed, but stopped neither Oliver nor I reacted. "Nevermind."

"What have I told you about threatening people you've just met with fire?" Oliver asked.

"Ok, that doesn't count right now. I'll have to show you." She sighed. "You trust this person right?" She motioned to Alex.

"Yes," Oliver said. "Completely."

Alex couldn't help but feel proud. She knew that Oliver's trust was hard-won.

"Can I have something made of paper?" Sam asked. Oliver handed her a blank piece of paper. She laid it on the metal table and put her right hand flat over it. It burst into flames. Before it could completely burn, she reached her hand out again and covered it with ice. "See. Fire."

"Whoa!" Alex jumped back. "What are you? I heard there was some crazy stuff going on in Central but- and how do you not burn and freeze too? How does your body deal with those temperatures? Just, how?" She was instantly enthralled with Sam's capabilities.

"I'm human, I have fast healing, and the Particle Accelerator affected me and made me what my team call a 'Meta Human' Which is basically-Basically every Meta is like an X-Men character; We have powers." She replied, speaking rather quickly.

"That's fascinating," Alex said, staring at Sam's hand.

She laughed "You sound like Caitlin."

"Caitlin? Who's that?" Alex asked.

"Crap. Well, she's part of my team, and would so not approve of me telling you guys."

"Has she been like studying you or anything? I'd love to see any findings that she has."

"She's had more done with Ba-The Streak, she hasn't really had time to do tests on me yet."

"She should. But The Streak is fascinating, too."

"And when were you going to tell me?" Oliver asked.

"I kinda assumed you'd see it on the news."

"You wanted me to hear about this on the news?"

"I didn't say that. I just-How do you tell someone you set stuff on fire and freeze stuff with your hands?"

"You kind of just did tell him," Alex pointed out, wanting to avoid any argument that this could cause.

"Right. Well until now I haven't seen him in person since the particle accelerator went off. It's harder over the phone." Sam defended. She sighed and looked at her watch. "Well, I've missed my train. Though, I think The Streak owes me a favor, so I'm good."

"Alright." Oliver replied "Goodbye Sam."

"Nice meeting you," Alex said. She wished she could have talked to her a bit more, but Central wasn't that far away.

"Totally. Bye." She said, then left the bunker.

"I should get going, too," Alex told Oliver. "I have to get ready for work.

"Okay," he replied. "Bye."

"See ya." Alex left, her mind full of questions about The Streak and The Dagger. She decided she'd have to find a way to make Sam let her meet the rest of her team. She had to ask that Caitlin person that Sam mentioned about the strange powers caused by the particle accelerator.

 _Thanks to novaselena and toribaskett15 for following and favoriting. And thanks to Quiet Like the Snow, Highlander348, WinterRain36, and Guest 21 for reviewing._

 _Quiet Like the Snow reviewed twice. The first time they said:_

 _I waited for a legendary bowl and water practice XD_

 _Haha! I should've thought to include that._

 _Then they said:_

 _Interesting story. Oliver and Thea sword fight was interesting. However, I think Oliver's currently believed to be more skilful as he has been in the league._

 _Actually, in this story and point in time, Oliver hasn't been in the league. The universe is a bit AU. Thanks for the reviews!_

 _Highlander348 said:_

 _They kissed! That was so romantic! As for Alex deflecting bullets that was great! Though if those bullets had hit Felicity's babies namely her computers she would have screamed bloody murder and try to attack Alex! (laughing)_

 _Here is a awesome idea I hope you like and consider! This was a scene Deadpool did in a movie spinoff with Wolverine based on his origins. Please check it out if you can to see what I mean!_

 _Say Alex gets the chance to put her sword bullet deflecting skills to the test in her first outing as a vigilante! Like she comes across a drug deal and all of a sudden 8 or so criminals pull out guns including automatic rifles! Then they start firing at her! She could spin her swords in a rapid twirl and start deflecting the bullets back at her shooters causing the bullets to knock the guns out of their hands and also aiming for non vital areas of their bodies like arms and legs! Update soon! :)_

 _Felicity probably would freak out! Good thing Alex has good aim._

 _Great idea for a fight scene! I'll definitely use something like that in the future. Thanks!_

 _WinterRain36 said:_

 _Alex has skills! Should be fun watching her chop a shotgun in half!_

 _Yes she does! Thanks for the review!_

 _Guest 21 said:_

 _Oooo. They kiiissssedXD! I cant wait to see her finally get into the field and see where your beautiful story is going to lead!:)_

 _Glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the review!_


	10. Chapter Ten: Roy

_Hi guys! Here's the next chapter for you._

One day later, Alex was walking down the street when she heard someone call out.

"Hey! Alex!"

Alex turned towards the voice. She smiled and crossed the street when she saw who it was.

"Hey, Sin," she said, falling into step with her friend. "How's it going?"

"Alright," Sin responded. "Haven't seen you in awhile, though."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Alex apologized. "I've just been so busy with, you know."

"I figured that was it," Sin said. "How's it been going?"

"Good," Alex answered. "Great, really. A lot of things are great right now, actually. Well, mostly great. It's complicated."

"What are you talking about?" Sin asked curiously.

"Roy," Alex said.

"What about Roy?" Sin inquired with a grin. "You two finally get together?"

"Well, he sort of kissed me two days ago," Alex explained. "And I haven't exactly seen him since."

"About time," Sin laughed. "But why haven't you talked to him?"

"He hasn't called and we haven't run into each other."

"Well why don't you call him? You made it sound like he made the first move, maybe he's waiting for you to make the next one."

"What if he thinks I'm avoiding him? You're right. I should call. But what if he's avoiding me?"

"You said he kissed you. Why would he avoid you after that. And since when are you so insecure?"

"I'm not insecure, really. I'm just... I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'm going to lose my best friend over something so stupid and insignificant as a kiss."

"But the longer you wait, the worse it gets, right? And was it really stupid and insignificant?"

"It was if he decides it was. I mean, if he decides it meant nothing then it meant nothing. And I refuse to lose Roy over nothing."

"There! "Refuse." That's the Alex I know."

Alex smiled. Sin was right. She was tough, she could fight to keep Roy, no matter what their relationship because she wouldn't let anything come between them.

"I'm going to call him," Alex declared. "Actually, I'm going to text him and have him meet me somewhere so we can figure this out in person."

"Good call," Sin said. "I gotta go. I'll catch up with you later."

"Okay," Alex responded. "See you later."

They took off in different directions. Alex pulled out her phone and typed out a text to Roy.

We need to talk. In person. We can meet wherever you want but we have to meet soon.

It wasn't long before her phone beeped and she got a text back.

Ok. The park on ninth? I can go there now.

She quickly responded.

Ok. I'll be there ASAP.

Alex turned and headed for the park. Roy's text hadn't given away much. She wondered what was going through his head as she walked to their meeting spot.

Eventually, Alex arrived at the park. She spotted Roy standing near a tree. He shifted nervously on his feet as she approached him.

"Hey," Alex said when she was standing in front of Roy. "So, about the other day–"

"If I messed things up, I'm sorry," Roy interrupted. "I just– well, I didn't–"

"Roy," Alex stopped him, "this conversation is not going to happen if you try to beat around the bush and avoid saying what you feel." She took a deep breath before continuing. "So, you kissed me. I kissed you back. So I guess the real question here is, would you do it again?"

"Yes," Roy answered. "I'd definitely do it again. That is, if you would."

Alex smiled. "I would."

Relief flooded Roy's face. Alex laughed and took a step closer to him.

"So," she said, "you said you'd do it again..."

"Yeah." Roy pulled Alex in and kissed her gently. They pulled away a moment later, both smiling.

"We should probably go on an actual date sometime," Alex laughed.

Roy joined in. "Yeah, probably. Got time now?"

"Yup," Alex said. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere. As long as it's with you."

Alex blushed. "Seriously, Roy, where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. Big Belly Burger?"

"Very romantic."

"Well you asked!"

"Actually, I could go for some Big Belly Burger."

They started walking down the street. When Roy put his arm around Alex a moment later, she decided that she hadn't been this happy since the Undertaking. Finally, it felt like everything was falling into place. As well as it could, anyway.

 _Thanks to katylovesdogs10 and Shinigamidemidragonslayer99for following and Igor De Souza Santos, katylovesdogs10, and Shinigamidemidragonslayer99 for favoriting._

 _Also thanks to Highlander348, and Novaselena for reviewing._

 _Highlander348 said:_

 _I like Sam! She has cool powers! When will Alex hit the field? She must be almost ready by now right? Please say yes! :)_

 _Sam is great! You should check out my friend's story about her if you haven't. It won't be too long until Alex gets out! She's definitely almost ready._

 _Novaselena said:_

 _Hi novaselena here. Love the title for this chapter because my name is Samantha. Also awesome powers._

 _Thanks! Again, if you like Sam you should check out my friend's story starring her. It's a great story!_


	11. Chapter Eleven: Craze

_Hey guys! So sorry about the wait, I was on vacation. I've been super exhausted since I got back, but I finally have the time to post. I hope you like the chapter!_

A few days later, Alex and Roy entered Verdant's basement together. They had decided not to tell anyone about their relationship yet, with the exception of Sin because she basically already knew. Part of it was due to Thea and Roy's history, and part of it was due to them wanting privacy.

"Hey, guys," Alex said when they entered to find the entire team assembled there. "What's up?"

"Not much," Oliver answered. "You here to train?"

"Yup." Alex walked over to where her katanas were kept. "Roy promised to try to kill me today."

"It sounds bad when you put it that way," Roy commented, grabbing his bow and quiver.

Alex laughed and adjusted her stance to prepare for Roy's attack. "How's your new job going, Felicity?" Alex asked as she stopped an arrow mid-flight. Felicity had just become Vice President of Palmer Tech, the company that had taken over Queen Consolidated.

"Fine," Felicity responded. "It's a lot of work to balance between here and there." She glanced at Oliver. "But I'm happy to do it, of course."

"Well, I'm glad you got a job with an actually salary," Alex said, taking down another arrow. "Sadly, saving lives doesn't always pay the bills."

"Hey, Ollie," Felicity said abruptly, "look at this." Oliver walked over to the computers, where Felicity had pulled up several recent newspaper articles. "There have been a lot of strange deaths lately where the victims bodies have just shut down. And all of them had a certain drug in their system."

"Does it look like a new form of vertigo?" Oliver asked, scanning the articles.

"No. It's a drug nicknamed Craze. It's a hallucinogen."

"I think I've heard of that once or twice," Roy chimed in. "It's supposed to be really powerful. That's probably why people keep taking it despite the huge risks."

"All of these deaths were in the Glades," Felicity pointed out. "Most drug related deaths are, but do you think that someone might be targeting the glades through the drug?"

"I don't know," Oliver said. "And I don't care if they're trying to kill people in the Glades, or are just trying to manufacture a new drug. People are dying, we need to put a stop to it."

He turned around to face the rest of the room. "I'm going to need a few of you out on the streets. We need to figure out where this drug is being sold if we're going to put a stop to it."

Alex, Roy, and Diggle all volunteered to help however they could. Soon, they were leaving to go gather information. Alex decided to talk to Sin and see what she knew.

It wasn't long before Alex found Sin.

"Hey," Alex said to Sin when she caught up to her in the street.

"Hey, Alex," Sin greeted her friend. "What's up?"

"I was hoping you might know something about Craze, that new drug," Alex explained.

"I know a guy who might know a guy," Sin said. "Why do you want to know?"

Alex glanced around, making sure there was nobody in earshot. Then she spoke quietly. "We've started looking into it. It's been causing a lot of trouble. So, what's the name of this guy?"

Sin gave Alex his name and told her where she could find the him. Alex thanked her and said goodbye before taking off down the street.

"I'm looking for a Howard Jenkins," Alex said to one of the first people she saw upon arriving where Sin had sent her.

She was in a pretty shady place, but she knew Sin wouldn't send her somewhere too dangerous without backup, right? Her hand automatically went to the knife in her pocket.

"He's over there," the girl Alex had asked responded, jerking her head, rather vaguely, to her left.

"Thanks," Alex said, not really meaning it.

There were quite a few guys where the girl had directed her. But, only one matched the description Sin had given her. Alex approached him confidently.

"You Howard Jenkins?" She asked.

"Why'd you want to know?" The man responded.

Alex took a step closer and lowered her voice slightly. "I'm looking for some Craze. I heard you could tell me where to get some."

"What's in it for me?"

Alex pulled out some cash. Oliver had given her some in case she got an opportunity to buy the drug, or something like this happened. Howard reached for it but Alex quickly stuck it back in her pocket.

"First," she said, "you tell me where I can get the drugs."

After she got the directions to an alley where Craze was being sold, Alex handed Howard the money.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Howard said, examining the cash.

"Likewise," Alex replied before she turned and left.

Once she was a few blocks away, Alex called Oliver.

"I've got a lead," she told him. "There's an alley where Craze is being sold. Or there should be at least, I don't see what the guy I got the information from would have to lose."

"Great," Oliver replied. "Come to the bunker at ten tonight, and bring Roy."

"Got it," Alex said, and ended the call.

 _Thanks to Cheshire Cat 800 for following and favoriting! And thanks to Highlander348 for reviewing. They said:_

 _Good chapter! I liked that they kissed again and are now dating! I had a suggestion for later! Can Roy get kidnapped and Katana has to save him? Please consider it! Oh please! :)_

 _Love the suggestion! It's a great spin on your typical boy saves girl stuff. It's quite likely I'll use it later. Thanks!_


	12. Chapter Twelve: An Old Warehouse

_I know I keep saying this, but I really am sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I've had writers block for quite awhile now but I think I'm getting out of it. Plus things have been a bit crazy, I've been going on family vacations and getting ready for school and a lot of other family stuff is happening as well. I really appreciate you guys sticking with the story even though I'm a bit slow. So here's a chapter that's a bit longer than normal. Enjoy!_

That night a little after nine Alex heard a knock on her door. After quickly looking through the peephole, she opened the door.

"Hey," she said, smiling as Roy's face came into view.

"Hey," he replied, kissing her. "Good work today. It was a good idea going to Sin."

"Thanks," Alex said. "Now come on, we should get going."

As they left Alex's apartment and headed for Verdant, Roy put his arm around Alex, who smiled and laughed a little.

"What?" Roy asked, turning his head to look at her.

"Nothing, it just feels a little surreal now that we're actually dating," Alex explained. "I mean, I've spent practically my whole life dreaming of a moment like this, without the whole superhero thing, of course, but I never actually thought it would come."

"Why not?" Roy asked curiously.

"Well, I figured I'd spend years and years getting my career started, and by the time I could even consider settling down you'd have found some other girl. And besides, I was always afraid of ruining our friendship." Alex hesitated for a moment before continuing. "And, honestly, sometimes I still am."

"You shouldn't be." Roy stopped walking and stood in front of Alex. She could tell by looking at him that he was dead serious. "Listen, if, for whatever reason, we ever break up, I'll still be here for you."

"And I'll be here for you, too," Alex said, grabbing his hand. "We really should keep walking, though."

They continued heading towards Verdant and their conversation shifted towards the case. Still, Alex's mind was much more at ease. She knew now that no matter what Roy wouldn't leave her, and that meant that she'd keep what little family she had left.

Soon they arrived at Verdant. As they neared the entrance, they let go of each other's hands. Just as they did, Thea opened the doors to the club. Suddenly, Alex realized that she and Roy were still practically standing shoulder-to-shoulder. She took a couple of steps to the side, hoping Thea didn't notice. But both Thea and Roy looked at her.

"So, um, let's go inside," Alex said, awkwardly. Thea must have noticed something, she thought.

"Yeah," Thea agreed, eying her and Roy. "So, what have you guys been up to?"

"Not much," Roy answered.

"Just vigilante stuff, mostly," Alex said.

"Don't you guys have social lives?" Thea asked.

"Not really," Alex replied. "I've never really had time for one."

There was an awkward silence while Alex realized how her last comment had sounded. But it was true. She had spent her entire life working in one way or another, the only important people had been her family and Roy. Of course Thea couldn't understand that. She had always had everything handed to her on a silver spoon.

Luckily, they soon arrived at the basement door. They headed down the stairs and were greeted by Oliver, Felicity, and Dig.

"Alright," Oliver said, "here's the plan."

Later, the team sat in the bunker as they observed a man standing alone in an alley on the computers. Every now and then, someone would walk up to him and there would be a short verbal exchange, before they saw the two figures exchange money and a small plastic bag. They were sure they had found their guy.

Eventually, the man started walking away. They watched as he left the alley and started heading down the street. They turned to other parts of the screen where Felicity had hacked into various traffic and security cameras around the city.

"Let's go," Oliver said to Alex and Roy once they got an idea of the general direction that the man was headed and had given him a good head start. Their goal was to get wherever he was going a few minutes after him. "Felicity, keep us updated."

"Will do," Felicity said.

The trio left the basement and retrieved the motorcycles they kept hidden in the alley. Alex had only had hers for a few days, but with Roy's help she had learned quickly how to ride it.

A few minutes later they heard Felicity say: "He just entered what looks like an old warehouse."

"Alright, I see it," Oliver said. "We're going in."

A minute later they were entering the warehouse through an upper window. Looking down, they saw a large crowd of men. It was obviously a huge operation.

"The second we make our first move we give away our position," Oliver whispered.

"So make it count," Roy stated, loading his bow.

"Right."

Glancing at the scene below her, Alex noted that almost every man carried a gun. She slowly unsheathed her swords, suddenly unsure of her capabilities.

"Never bring a sword to a gunfight," She muttered shakily.

"You'll do fine, Katana." Roy caught her gaze. "This is what you've been training for."

Katana, she thought, he's never called me that before. But I guess I've never been that before. She stared at her katana's, held in her gloved hands. She wasn't Alex. She was The Katana. She knew she had to remember that, and she had to remember that Oliver wasn't Oliver, Roy wasn't Roy. That would be the hardest to remember.

"We have to figure out who the leader is," The Arrow said. "And then we have to isolate him so we can interrogate him."

"How do we do that with all these people around?" The Katana asked.

"We'll have to fight. But first let's find out who he is."

"I think it's that guy," Arsenal said, pointing towards a man several others were speaking to. "I heard someone call him Mr. Black, I think."

"Wait a second." The Arrow peered down at the men below them. "I know him. He was an associate of my father's. His name is Walter Black."

"What do we do now?" Katana asked

"We attack, and then we grab him."

Some men had already left, and there was a significantly smaller crowd. But they were still outnumbered. The Katana felt a pit of nerves growing in her stomach, but there was also adrenaline pumping through her veins.

 _Thanks to Um I lost my name for following and to PrewalShadeX for following and favoriting._

 _And thanks to Highlander346, Novaselena, and PrewalShadeX for reviewing._

 _Highlander348 said:_

 _Thanks for updating! Is Alex finally ready now to go as Katana? :)_

 _Cheers!_

 _Yup! As you can see she's finally out in the field. Thanks for the review!_

 _Novaselena said:_

 _Cool new drug. Hey you know how Oliver always gets injected with vertigo while maybe Alex should get injected with this new drug and they have to save her._

 _Thanks! It's a great idea, but I've got something else planned, so maybe next time. But I always appreciate suggestions, so thanks!_

 _PrewalShadeX_

 _Awesome! Please update soon!_

 _I'll try to update more often for you and everyone else. Thanks for the review!_


	13. Chapter Thirteen: What Have I Done?

_Hey guys! So I've decided to try to update once a week. I think that that's probably the best I can do considering school is starting up. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter._

The Arrow fired his first shot right into Walter Black's kneecap. Not even a moment passed before gunfire rang out. The Arrow and Arsenal fired more arrows, all meant to incapacitate but not to kill. Meanwhile, Katana used her swords to deflect the bullets fired towards them. Some she fired into walls and floors, others went into the non-vital parts of the men who fired them. She moved quickly, twirling and swinging her katanas and hardly a bullet made it past her.

Just as things were looking like they were leaning in Team Arrow's favor, The Katana saw a bullet headed straight towards her. She raised her sword to deflect it, aiming for the shoulder of one of the gang. But she missed.

Alex dropped her swords, looking on in horror as the bullet went into the head of the man next to the one she aimed for. He fell to the ground and Alex knew that he was dead.

That she had killed him.

Bullets whizzed past her, but she was oblivious. Alex only faintly heard The Arrow roaring "Get her out of here!" before she blacked out.

"Back up!" Alex heard Roy's worry-filled voice as she regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and saw him leaning over her. They were back in the Arrow Cave.

"Hey," he said, looking at her with concern.

Alex didn't respond. Instead, she glanced around dizzily and saw that Felicity, Thea, and Diggle were also surrounding her. She sat up, still hardly able to breath.

What have I done, oh God what have I done? She thought. I killed him.

"I killed him," Alex whispered. Her world was crashing down.

Roy advanced towards her, deep sympathy in his eyes. "It wasn't your fault. I know you probably won't believe that but it was an accident."

"Accidents can still be someone's fault, Roy." Alex stared at the ground. "And this one was mine."

"Look at me, Al." Roy gently tilted Alex's head up so she was looking right at him.

"What am I doing, Roy?" Alex asked before he could speak again." I took a life. I was supposed to be saving people, helping them. Not hurting them."

"You are helping people. You did save lives tonight, even if it doesn't seem like it."

"Not just with the vigilante stuff, Roy. I mean, I was going to be a doctor for God's sake. I was always going to devote myself to healing people and now- what am I doing?"

Alex's eyes filled with tears. She regretted dropping out of college after the Undertaking. She regretted everything.

"Why can't things just be okay for once?" She asked no one in particular.

"They will be," Roy answered her. "I promise you, one day we'll make everything okay."

"How? How could anything possibly be okay? Thing we're going to be okay because I was going to be a doctor, and I was going to have money and I was going to be able to help my family. And now I'm a hopeless, family-less, murderer."

"You're not a murderer, Al. Don't you ever call yourself that. And you're not family-less. You have me."

"How can you still care about me after everything? Not just this, but everything I've put you through?"

"Because I love you," Roy said, for the first time. "And it's not conditional. Listen, I've loved you for a very, very long time. And I love every version of you. I love the Alex I first met in an alley who was so independent despite being scared, and I love the Alex who worked herself half to death to get a future for herself and her family, and I love the Alex who was so hurt she couldn't function, and I love the Alex who trained and trained in the hopes of someday being able to help someone again. And I just love you, always."

"I love you, too," Alex said, not knowing what else she could say. His speech had been so sincere and emotional that she was left a bit shocked.

"Come on, let's get you home."

They stood up and Alex realized that everyone else had left the room. She hadn't noticed them leaving.

One Alex had changed out of her suit, they exited the basement. Thea was sitting alone at the bar.

"Hey, Roy, can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked.

Alex wondered if Thea suspected what was going on between them. She wondered how much of their conversation Thea had heard. It wouldn't have surprised Alex if Thea had figured out what was going on. But neither she nor Roy cared much at the moment.

"No, Thea," he said, continuing to walk towards the door. "Not right now."

"You can talk to her," Alex said. "I'll wait."

"No, I'm getting you home." Roy opened the door and let Alex through. "I'll call you tomorrow, Thea."

Soon, they were standing in front of Roy's house. Alex was so exhausted that she hadn't even realized where they had been heading.

"What are we doing here?" She asked.

"You shouldn't be alone tonight," Roy told her. "Come on."

They walked into the house and Roy asked Alex if she thought she could eat anything.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Alex replied. She felt nauseous.

"Okay. Come on, I'm sleeping on the couch. You can take my bed," he said.

"Okay. Goodnight, Roy."

"Goodnight, Al. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Alex was about to enter the bedroom when she turned around suddenly.

"Roy?" She said, not entirely sure what she even wanted to tell him.

"Yeah?" He asked, turning towards her again.

"Thanks," she decided on saying.

"Any time," Roy replied sincerely.

With that, she slipped into the other room, sighing as she lied down and tried to get to sleep.

 _Thanks so much to Highlander348 for reviewing. They said:_

 _Please update sooner! :)_

 _Please show Alex doing her sword deflecting of the bullets fired at her in the next chapter! That will be so cool to see! Here is another suggestion for that scene! One of the thugs could have a sub machine gun and fire it at rapid speed at Katana! She can twirl her swords and deflect hundreds of bullets fired at her! :)_

 _I finally did it! (Although I'm not sure if it was a very good description of the move.)_

 _I love the suggestion and I'll probably use it later. I think the deflecting bullets move will become a signature move of sorts for her._


	14. Chapter Fourteen: The Hospital

_Hey guys! Here's another chapter for you. Enjoy!_

After Alex went into the bedroom, Roy grabbed his phone and dialed Thea's number. He had told her he'd call her the next day, but he decided to get it over with.

"Hello?" He heard Thea's voice at the other end of the phone.

"Hey, Thea," Roy replied. "It's me."

"When were you going to tell me?" Thea demanded.

"When we were ready," Roy told her. "Al and I needed some time to figure some stuff out."

"I'm your ex-girlfriend! You didn't think I should know?"

"No, I didn't. Not until we started telling people."

"I don't even understand what's with this girl. I mean one day she just shows up and you've never mentioned her before."

"I never mentioned her because she's a different part of my life than you and Oliver and the team. I wanted to keep her away from all that."

"How long have you two been together?"

"About a month. Listen, Thea, none of this is really your business, okay?"

"Yeah, my boyfriend breaks up with me and immediately begins dating some random girl. Definitely not my business."

"Alex is anything but random, Thea. I've gotta go."

With that he hung up, frustrated by Thea's behavior.

Roy walked over to the bedroom door and knocked quietly. When there was no answer from inside, he slowly opened the door and saw that Alex had fallen asleep. He smiled softly, glad that she was getting some rest.

It was then Roy realized what the difference between his relationship with Thea and his relationship with Alex was. Alex was his best friend. She had been for a long time. But Thea wasn't. And that made a world of difference.

After that, Roy went to sleep on the couch. Worrying about how the day's events would affect Alex, and hoping that he would be able to help her through it.

"Roy!"

He woke with a start at hearing his name called. He instantly recognized Alex's voice and ran into the other room. Once he was inside, he found Alex sitting in the bed, breathing rapidly.

"Hey," he said, walking over to her. "Are you okay?"

"I didn't mean to yell," Alex told him. "It was sort of just my first instinct. You should go back to sleep."

"No, it's okay." He sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm assuming you had a nightmare. Want to tell me about it?"

"I don't deserve you," Alex said, looking at Roy. "I really just don't."

Roy heard the sincerity in her voice. He found it insane that she thought that. To him, Alex was just about the most fantastic person ever. After all he'd put her through, and she thought she didn't deserve him?

"You're right, Al. You don't deserve me." He looked at her. "What you deserve is so much better. Now come on, tell me about your nightmare."

"Basically, it was everything that happened earlier or last night or whatever," Alex explained. "But it was more like just me and him. And after... After he died, I looked down and my katanas were soaked in blood."

"Sounds like pretty normal PTSD," Roy said. "You've been through a lot. It's not your fault you know, it's really not."

"He's dead because I sent a bullet through his brain," Alex stated. "That's undeniable."

"It'll take awhile for you to get it," Roy told her. "Right now you need more sleep. It's three in the morning."

"I can't get back to sleep. If I'm up I'm up. But you should get some more. Don't worry about me."

"If you're up, I'm up. Want some breakfast?"

"I guess."

"Okay, I'll see what I have."

Roy was in the kitchen making scrambled eggs and toast. Alex hadn't come out from the bedroom yet. Roy was trying to figure out how to get through to her, how to make her see that this wasn't something to obsess over. Then it hit him. He made a quick call to Felicity, ending it just before Alex walked into the room.

"Hey," she said. "Who were you talking to?"

"Felicity," Roy answered. "Black's in jail."

"That's good." Alex sat down at the table and Roy sat opposite her.

After they finished eating they decided to go for a walk. They headed to the remains of Alex's old house and just sat there. Eventually, they left and wandered aimlessly through the city. They didn't talk much. Finally, at about six, Roy told Alex he wanted to show her something.

"What?" She asked.

"You'll see," he told her.

Soon, they entered a hospital.

"What are we doing here?" Alex asked.

"Just follow me," Roy said. "I'll explain in a minute."

They took an elevator a few floors up and walked down a hallway. Eventually, they stopped in front of one of the rooms.

"Look in there," Roy said to Alex, pointing at the window into the room. There was a man lying there, hooked up to several different machines.

"That man's name is John Clifford," he told her. "He took Craze and wound up here. He probably won't make it, but even if he does the rest of his life would be miserable."

He studied her face, waiting for a reaction. She just stared at the motionless man.

"The man you killed, he was partially responsible for this. And for a lot of other situations like this. He wasn't good, or innocent. And he would have continued like this given the chance. But because of you he can't."

Again, Roy waited for a reaction. This time, Alex spoke.

"I guess I really did save lives," she sighed. "I still took one, and I'm still not sure who I am anymore, but I guess, what I did... Well, there are worse things."

"Much worse things," Roy agreed.

They started walking back towards the elevator, when Alex stopped in her tracks. Roy turned around to ask why she stopped, and saw her staring into a room.

"Alex?" He said, walking towards her.

"Joey," she whispered.

"What?" Roy asked, looking into the room.

There, barely recognizable from the burns on his face, was Alex's brother.

 _Thanks to CalicoKitty402 for following and NicoleImpala and CalicoKitty402 for favoriting._

 _And thanks to Highlander348 and WinterRain36 for reviewing. Highlander348 said:_

 _Good chapter! Alex did what she had to do in fighting crime so she has nothing to be ashamed of! Sometimes a hero has to do everything they can to save innocents and even kill as a last resort. Oliver understands this better then most. He was so badass in the first season but lately I think he has gone to soft as do a lot of other fans of the show._

 _Yes deflecting bullets can be Katana's signature move! That is so awesome!_

 _Can you show Alex on a solo mission also? Like she has to break into a gang's hideout to take them down one by one! Cheers! :)_

 _I agree that Alex did nothing wrong. Of course, she doesn't think so, but she did just kill someone for the first time._

 _I like the idea of a solo mission. Thanks for the review!_

 _And WinterRain36 said:_

 _The fight scene could have been a little more descriptive especially with Alex blocking those bullets with her swords which is very cool by the way._

 _Is a cop a murderer when they kill someone? A soldier in battle? A person defending their home against a robber? When someone is attacking their friend?_

 _I know it could've been more descriptive. I'm working on that. Obviously Al isn't a murderer, she just feels like one. Thanks for reviewing!_


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Joey

_I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry. I've been trying to write but I've had writer's block recently. That coupled with school being stressful makes for very slow progress. But I'm trying to make more time for writing since I really do love writing this story for you guys. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter!_

Alex stood in shock, her eyes filling with tears. "It's Joey," she whispered.

"Excuse me," a nurse said, coming out of the room. "Do you two know this boy?"

"Yes," Alex said, tears now streaming down her face. "His name's Joseph Barnes. He's my little brother." She glanced again at Joey, lying motionless on the bed. "He's in a coma, isn't he?"

"I'm afraid so," the nurse told her. "But it's a very light one. He's even shown signs of being aware of his surroundings. That's why we haven't pulled the plug. We were hoping someone would be able to identify him. He's a John Doe."

"Can I go in there?" Alex asked.

"Of course," the nurse answered.

Alex and Roy walked into the room and over to Joey's bed.

"Hey, Joey," Alex said between sobs. "I really missed you, you know. I thought you were dead, you had me scared. For like, a year."

Alex was shaking from her sobs at this point. She felt Roy put his arm around her and she took a few deep breaths, calming herself.

"Joey," she said, grabbing his hand. "If you can hear me, please just squeeze my hand."

Alex waited a full minute, then she felt her brother squeeze her hand weakly.

"Oh, please tell me I didn't imagine that," Alex whispered to nobody in particular.

"Joey, that nurse said there was hope. And it looks like you can hear us, so if there's anything left of you in there, just try to wake up," Roy urged him. "Your sister needs you, buddy. Wake up for her."

Alex and Roy waited for a minute that felt like an eternity, watching Joey intently. Slowly, his left eye began to open, and soon he was looking at them, half of his mouth turned up in a smile. The right half of his face was too burned and scarred to show much expression, but his good eye twinkled and he beamed at them, his lips moving what little they could to show teeth.

"Hey, Alex." His voice was raspy from lack of use. "Hey, Roy."

"Hey, man," Roy said.

"You probably shouldn't talk much until we have a doctor look at you," Alex told Joey as she pushed the button to call for a nurse.

A moment later, the same nurse from earlier came in.

"My God," she said, looking at Joey. "He's woken up. You've saved him."

"He needs a doctor," Alex told her.

"Of course. It'll only be a moment." The nurse ran out of the room.

No one said a word for a minute. All three were too glad to just be together again. But then Joey broke the silence, his words breaking Alex's heart once more.

"Where are mom and dad?" He spoke with hope, but also with fear. Alex knew he suspected the truth.

"I'm sorry, buddy. I'm so, so sorry." Tears welled in Alex's eyes once more as she confirmed his fears.

"I thought so," he said quietly, tears streaming down his face. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you everything after we have the doctor look at you, okay?" Alex said.

Just then the doctor entered. He asked Alex and Roy to leave while he examined Joey. They went out into the hallway to wait.

"'Everything'?" Roy asked.

"What?" Alex turned towards him.

"I know you probably just meant everything about the Undertaking, but a lot has happened since then," Roy elaborated. "How much do you plan to tell him?"

Then Alex realized what he meant. "I don't know. He's just a kid, I don't want to drag him into this mess, but I don't want to lie to him, either."

"He's almost eighteen, Al," Roy reminded her.

"I suppose he is," Alex hadn't thought of that. "Although he did lose a year. And do you mean to say I should tell him?"

"No, not necessarily," he explained. "I just want to remind you he's older than you like to think."

"Probably older than you like to think, too. He's basically your brother. I don't think either of us like the idea of him growing up."

"He has to find out at some point."

"Not yet," Alex decided. "I want to give him time to adjust to life again."

"Good idea."

"I hope he can find a job," Alex started musing. "We're going to need a bigger apartment and obviously I'll have more little expenses. Plus he should go back to school... And there will be medical costs..." She trailed off, realizing how financially challenging this would be. Of course, she was elated to have her brother back. But, ever the realist, Alex wondered how they'd make ends meet.

"I'll help," Roy offered. "I don't have a lot, but I don't need much to get by."

"I can't ask you to do that, Roy." But Alex knew she'd have to accept. What other options were there?

"You didn't. Listen, like you said, he's basically my little brother, too. At least let me help cover whatever the hospital charges you. And I'll help with the little things until Joey can find a job."

"Thank you, Roy," Alex said sincerely.

The doctor walked into the hallway. "Is one of you related to the patient?" He asked.

"I am," Alex answered. "I'm his sister."

"Are you his legal guardian, or is he of age?"

"Almost, his birthday is in about a month. And I guess he doesn't have a guardian," Alex said. "Our parents died in the Undertaking."

"I'm very sorry. But you're the next of kin?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then I have some information for you. Mostly, your brother is fine. He was put in a stable condition upon arrival so there aren't any major surgeries required. But there are a few surgeries that should be made to make it easier for him to speak and breath. We also may be able to restore sight to his eye. And obviously there's cosmetic work to be done, but I'll refer you to another surgeon for that."

"How much would all the practical surgeries cost?" Alex asked, dreading the answer.

He gave a number that made Alex feel dizzy. "And I'm afraid you won't be able to get an insurance plan for him to cover part of it," he added.

"I can't afford that," Alex said, feeling defeated.

"I'm afraid there's no other option."

There was a silence. Alex and Roy were both trying to think of some way they could get the money. The doctor was waiting for a response.

"I have to go," the doctor said. "You can go in and see him, if you want."

They went inside the room and walked over to Joey.

"I want to know what happened," he said immediately.

"Do you remember anything?" Alex asked, wanting to know where to start.

"The last clear thing I remember is sitting in my room, studying," he answered.

"Well." Alex took a deep breath. "It was about a year and a half ago. A few people who hated the Glades planned what they called "the Undertaking" it was an operation meant to destroy the Glades and everyone and everything in them. One of the people, Miora Queen, told everyone about it, but not soon enough. The police and The Arrow tried to stop it. But they only succeed partially. 503 people died that night. Or I guess, since you would be included in that account, 502. Our parents and five hundred others."

Now Alex and Joey were both crying. Roy went over to them and put his arm around Alex. He was about to say something when Joey spoke.

"About time," he said, managing a small smile.

"Yeah," Alex said, glancing at Roy. "There are a couple of things you missed this past year or so."

"I can't believe they're gone. What have you been doing since then, Alex?" Joey asked.

"I dropped out of school, and now I'm working at a nightclub, and," she looked again at Roy, "well, that's about it."

"You dropped out?" Joey said in amazement and horror. "What about being a doctor?"

"I gave up on that when my life was destroyed. I lost everything, Joey. Why be a doctor when I can't even help the people closest to me?"

"Because you can still help other people," he said. "There are still people who need help."

"You'd make a great doctor," Alex said, smiling. "I'm not sure I was ever cut out for it."

"You were," her brother stated.

"But there are plenty of other ways to help people," Roy pointed out. "Als been figuring that out recently. But I think she's right when she says you could be a doctor."

"I don't know about a doctor," Joey said thoughtfully. "But maybe a nurse."

Alex smiled. It did seem like a good career for him, but working with people would mean cosmetic surgery. But her smiled didn't fade, even as she remembered their financial troubles, because she had Joey. And that meant things could be okay.

 _Thanks to All American Idiot, shadowmwape, and julianguyen16 for following and favoriting, and thanks to Highlander348_

 _for reviewing. They said:_

 _Sounds like Thea is jealous of Alex! I wonder if she will cause trouble for Alex later on._

 _There's definitely some tension there. Thea and Alex have both too many differences and too many similarities to get along right away, if that makes any sense at all. Thanks for the review!_

 _Again guys, I'm really sorry for the huge wait. But I promise I'll post another chapter this weekend for you all. I'll try really hard to update regularly. I hope you can understand and be patient with me. Thanks guys!_


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Money

_Hey guys! Here's another chap, as promised. It's another crossover with my friend's story The Dagger. We worked together to write it and I think it came out pretty well. Be sure to check out her story if you haven't. It's a Flash fanfic and it's on this account. Enjoy!_

The day after finding Joey, Alex and Roy went to the bunker to train and think things through.

"I have no idea what to do," Alex said hopelessly as they walked into the room. "I can't think of even one option."

"We'll figure it out, Al," Roy said.

Just then, Oliver came downloan the steps.

"Hey, Oliver," Roy greeted.

"Hey, Roy-" he stopped short, noticing their worried expressions. "What's wrong?"

"It's complicated." Alex sighed. "First of all, my brother came back from the dead."

"What?" Oliver asked. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's fantastic," Alex said, now smiling. "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. But now he needs treatment, and I don't have money."

"I'm sorry," Oliver said sincerely. "I wish I could do something. But at least you have your brother back."

"Yeah," Alex said, the smile fading once more. "It's just a matter of being able to keep him around."

Suddenly, Sam walked into the bunker with a grin on her face.

"Sup' peeps!" She shouted, her grin remaining.

Alex and Roy looked up, both surprised to see her here.

"Sam," Oliver said, looking at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just in town, and I wanted to drop by. What are you doing here?" She asked playfully, she then walked over to Oliver and gave him a hug.

"Hey, Sam," Roy said. "Good to see you again."

"You, too, Red. How've you been?"

"Pretty good," he replied. "What about you?"

"Good," she said simply. "Hey, Alex, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, wondering how she could know something was up.

"Okay, Alex, I've been through a lot. I know when something's wrong," she replied with a quite serious tone.

"You might as well tell her," Roy said to Alex.

"It's complicated," Alex finally answered, unsure if she shouldbe answering at all. "My brother basically came back from the dead, and now I need money for hospital bills. Getting Joey back is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, but now I have no idea what I'm going to do."

"I have money," she said, her tone even more serious than before, "it's complicated how, but I can give you all of it if you need it."

"I- I don't know what to say," Alex replied, in complete shock. "I mean, I can't accept this, but-"

"Alex, I lost someone and I won't get him back, and that's how I have this money. I'd do anything to get him back, and I can't. If I can help anyone get their loved ones back, I'll do anything. This isn't something you can say yes or no to, okay? You're getting the money. Now, how much do you need?"

Roy was the one to name the amount, Alex was too shocked and great full to speak. Sam confirmed that she had enough and Roy confirmed that they would take it.

"Thank you, Sam," was all Alex managed to say as she fought back tears of joy.

"Anytime." She grinned. "So, Ol, today I met this girl who could make anything into a bomb."

"That ability would be perfect for you," he commented with a smile.

"I got fire instead. I like fire." She grinned again.

"What are you talking about?" Roy asked, confused. Alex realized he still didn't know about his old friend's powers. She smiled, knowing how amazed he would be in a moment.

"I can freeze things and set them on fire," she simply stated, as if it was a normal skill.

"What?" He asked again after a moment's pause.

She sighed and grabbed Roy's jacket with her right hand, setting it on fire. She then switched to her left hand, putting out the fire and freezing the jacket. She paused and spoke, "You're probably still confused, so I'm a meta-human which means I have powers from the particle accelerator, and I have fire and ice powers. So...yeah…."

"So that's what's been going on in Centeral," Roy said with wonder.

"I would pay for that jacket, but Alex now owns all of my money," Sam stated. After a moment, she spoke again, "Well...this just got awkward."

Alex shifted uncomfortably. Sam was right, and Alex felt embarrassed. But she was willing to do anything for her brother, suffering through a few awkward moments was a very small price to pay for his life.

"Sam," Oliver sighed, "you just made it more awkward."'

"Oh. Oops." She paused. "Um, well... How's Thea?"

"Theas good," Oliver replied. "She's taken over Verdant."

"Really? Well, tell her I said 'hi'." She paused, "So, Roy, are you and Thea still dating?"

"Umm, no, actually," Roy answered. He and Alex glanced at each other awkwardly.

"Oh my gosh." Sam gasped. "You guys are adorable together."

They laughed. "Well, thanks, Sam," Alex said. Then she became a little more serious. "For everything. I should be going, though."

Sam also grew more grave, "Alex, if you ever need anything, I'm here. Not here, I'll be in Central. But I'll be here."

"Thanks, I think. You coming, Roy? I'm heading back to the hospital."

"Sure," he said. "Bye, Sam. See you later, Oliver."

"Bye, Red," Sam said.

"Bye, guys," Alex said as she and Roy left the room.

"Did that just happen?" Alex asked in disbelief as she and Roy exited Verdant.

"I think so," Roy replied, smiling at her.

"So, we're back on our feet, then." Alex started going through all her new expenses in her head. "Cosmetic surgery can wait, and if Joey can get a job he should be able to take some classes at a community college to finish up high school, and I'm earning enough to get a small two bedroom place..."

"I'll still pitch in wherever I'm needed," Roy cut in. "My little brother too, remember?"

Alex smiled. "I remember."

 _Thanks to mjf2468 and mantale3 for favoriting and to Highlander348 for reviewing. She said:_

 _Oliver could help Alex by giving her the money for the surgeries. She is his friend and partner! Why wouldn't he help her out in her time of need?_

 _Please show more of Katana kicking butt to! It's been awhile and I am getting fidgety over it! (bites her fingernails potentially ruining her manicure) :(_

 _Actually, it's_ _at a point where Oliver has lost his company and his money. But as you can see, it all worked out in the end!_

 _As for Katana fighting, I have to admit action scenes aren't really a big priority for me with this story. I know it's a fanfic for an action show but it's more of a general life story for Alex than it is an action story. So you'll understand that those scenes will be few and far between. That being said, Alex will be getting back to crime fighting soon_.


End file.
